We nose out into the open ocean that separates Flores Island from Maquinna Marine Provincial Park and the small boat begins to heave and pitch immediately.

The choppy water in this part of the Clayoquot Sound quickly doubles then triples in size. We crest our first monster wave and captain John Forde cuts the motors. The boat drops out from under us and for a second, we free fall.

Instinctively, Steve Shields his camera and shoulder rig with his free arm. The three other passengers on board thud into the seats in front of them.

My heart is game for rougher waters, but my head is not. Pins and needles spread through my cheeks—a sure sign that today’s breakfast is getting ready to jump ship.

As we round Sharpe Point, the foam of the breaking waves looks like thousands of small hands reaching for the small lighthouse on the cliff above.

In the distance, the steam from Hot Springs Cove twists dizzyingly in the wind — and then just like that, the crashing surf vanishes and our aquatic rodeo ride is over.

Steve and I grab our camera gear, jump onto the dock, and start the 30-minute hike through old-growth forest to the hot springs. The long, winding boardwalk gives us a chance to talk about the true reason we came for this off-season, storm-watching adventure.

For weeks now, we’ve seen the same images played over and over on TV screens everywhere: Mayan hieroglyphics spinning in a 5,000-year cycle; tidal waves and supervolcanos; smirking news anchors reporting on doomsday and the end of everything we know.

What better place to escape and work out a post-apocalyptic plot for our CineCoup feature-film project than in British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park? There’s nothing but open ocean between here and Japan. With the non-stop surf and the rain that blows in every direction (including up), this part of Canada truly feels like it’s at the end of the world.

At Hot Springs Cove, we shuck our clothes and goose-step our way down the rough rock. This part of B.C. is directly over a fault line. Unlike the commercially-developed springs at Radium or Banff, the water here flows directly out of a geothermal vent, over lava rock, down a steaming waterfall, and into a series of tidal pools.

It’s all natural and compared to high-season in the summer, there’s no else here in the park today but us.

The captain eventually joins us for a soak and tells us that the other passengers on the boat today are Tofino locals. After a couple questions about the Whale Centre, his tour company, we learn that he has been guiding tours for over 30 years.

Maybe it’s the lack of other tourists, but he’s not shy about sharing his thoughts on adventure tours in the region.

“The first thing most visitors ask me about is price,” Forde explains.

“But really, the first thing anyone should ask a tour operator is about their experience. In rough seas, would you rather sail with a captain who has been sailing for three decades or someone who started sailing here under a year ago?”

The next morning, when it becomes clear that the apocalypse isn’t coming, Steve and I decide to go hunting for some surf.

Ucluelet and Tofino are separated by about 40 kilometres of highway. Many of the region’s most famous beaches fall along this stretch of road and dense forest. These include Long Beach, as well as popular surfing spots like Wickaninnish Beach and Chesterman Beach.

You will definitely need a car to get around this part of B.C.

If you plan to catch a ferry from Vancouver and drive across Vancouver Island, you will need snow tires or chains for the stretch of the Pacific Rim Highway between Port Alberni and Ucluelet. We organized an opportunity to test drive a 2013 Acura RDX for our trip. Four-wheel drive was essential for the snowy highway through Sutton Pass.

A good car also will give you an excuse to watch storms roll in from top-notch viewing spots like the parking lot at Incinerator Rock—without getting your feet wet.

At Chesterman Beach, we walk out to Frank Island along a giant sandbar. The sand here is reflective, like polished silver. The water is crowded with the bobbing heads of surfers.

The non-stop roar and raw energy of the ocean at Chesterman Beach is impressive, but we still want to try to find that postcard-perfect spot where sky-high waves crash into volcanic rock; a spot where it feels like the world could be washed away.

Back in Ucluelet at our cabin, we manage to track down Ron Clayton, our resort’s owner, for some advice. He tells us that it took just one visit to Ucluelet seven years ago to convince him to move his whole life here.

“There’s no bad beach to watch storms,” Clayton explains.

“My favourite spot is just down the Wild Pacific Trail towards Amphitrite Point where the lighthouse is.”

The clouds break into blue sky as we walk down the trail to Amphitrite Point. The wind picks up and dangerous waves boom rhythmically against the massive rock outcrops that line the shore.

In the distance, far out over open water, we can see the next storm blowing towards us. We should head back to our cabin and get to work on the script, but this remote lighthouse is the kind of place that grabs your heart and holds you.

For now, everything else can wait.

If you go:

Forest cabins at thecabins.ca during storm watching season start at $99 a night. Visit hellobc.com, seevancouverisland.com and bcferries.com for travel information and vacation guides.

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Share

Riding the surf in Clayoquot

Video

Travel Videos

Best of Postmedia

Swoop has yet to pick up a single customer, but Canada’s newest ultra-low-cost carrier is already talking about expanding into a market that is just taking off. Launched by WestJet Airlines Ltd., Calgary-based Swoop started booking customers this month for flights that begin this summer connecting five Canadian cities. It is offering discounted fares on […]

Director Ryan Coogler admits he was surprised by the initial feedback he got from the bigwigs at Marvel Studios when he began sharing his vision for its next franchise, Black Panther. After all, he was set to make a $200-million epic blockbuster; a popcorn movie that mixed dazzling special effects, heart-stopping action sequences and sprawling […]

At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Mary Ormsby of the Toronto Star took one look at the fit, spandex-laden forms of the cross-country skiers and declared: “I have found my new sport.” Ormsby wasn’t a typical out-of-shape scribe. She had been an all-American volleyball player at Ohio State, so knew athletics from both sides. […]

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.